Einstein's theory predicts that such gyroscopes will undergo geodetic precession merely because space-time is curved in the planet's vicinity.

Even Newtonian physics was unable to give a complete explanation of its orbit: the direction of the axis was found to move by rather more than could be explained by precession and the gravitational attraction of the other planets.

As the tailwheel lifts during the takeoff run, gyroscopic precession tries to turn the plane left of centerline.